Chaeles t



E I //I/l/ INVENTO'R:

C. T. HUGHES.

ELEGTRIGAL SOLDERING IRON.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES %Umm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. HUGHES, OF MENLO PARK, NE\V JERSEY.

ELECTRICAL SOLDERING-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patenta No. 287,:350, dated October 23, 1883. Application filed September 15, 18:32. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. HUGHES, of Menlo Park, in the eounty of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a cer- 'tain new and useful Improvement in Electrical Soldering-Irons, of which the following is a specification.

The object I have in View is to produce means i'or heating a solderingiron by electricity which will be simple and cheap in construction, will be capable of withstanding the rough nsage to which asoldering-iro' may be subjected, and will be eliicient in operation; and my object is further to produce an electrical soldering-iron and eonnections adapted for use in a multiple-are system of lighting by electrieal incandescence. The object is aceomplished by constructing the iron hollow, and providing it with an inclosed resistance, which is heated by the current and in turn beats the point of the iron by conduetion and radiation therefrom. The iron itself forms a part of the eircuit, and the inclosed resistance is forced directly against the point of the iron from the inside, only suflicient thickness being leit to give the necessary strength.

For the inclosed resistance a finely-divided material is employed-such as powdered carbon, peroxide of lead, or other conducting element or compound of high specific resistanceand a non-heat-conducting material-such as mineral wool-is packed solidly in the hollow iron above the inclosed resistanee. For connection with a multipleare system of electric lighting, a plug fitting a lamp-socket is used, from which a flexible cord extends to the handle of the iron, and an adjustable resistance is located in the circuit outside of the plu A circuit-eontroller is also employed, which may be in the lamp-socket or external thereto.

In the accompanying drawing a solderingiron embodying theinventon is shown in vertical section, the conneetions being shown diagrammatically.

The head of the iron is a square or round copper tube, A, drawn or spun into shape, and having its lower end closed and shaped to form the point B of the iron. WVithin this hollow point is the heating-resistance C, of finely-divided material,whieh is pressed down upon the metal of the point by a metal rod, a,

having a metal plate on its lower end, making contact with the resistanee, and preferaby provided with a Washer of insulating material, as shown, to confine the finely-divided material to the point of the iron.

In the upper end of the copper tube A is secured the wooden handle D, the tube A being made of sufiicient length to prevent the injurious heating of the upper end of the tube, and the tube being filled below the handle and above the resistance with mineral wool or other suitable non-heat-conducting inate rial, E. The rod a passes up into the wooden handle, and is forced downwardly by means of a spring, b, although this might be dispensed with. Conductors l 2 are connected one with the tube A and the other with the rod a. These are joined into a fiexible eord of sufficient length to pernit the 'free movement of the solderng-iron.

The iron may be supplied from any suitable source of electrical energy. It is, however, especially designed for use withamultiple-arc system of electric lighting. 3 4: are the main house-conductors of such a system in multiple-are circuits, from which are lamps, motors, or other translating devices, F. A multipleare c'ircuit, 5 6, extends to the terninals of a lamp-socket, G, in which is removably seen red the plug Hthe terminals of whiclmmcon nected with the soldering-iron. An adjustable resstance, I, is included in the circuit of the soldering-iron, and also a circuit-controller, c, which may be in the socket or external thereto.

hat I claim is- 1. In an eleetric soldering-iron, the combination, with the metallic head, of a high-resistance material located in contact with the metal of said head, and circuit-connections whereby said metallic head and said high-resistance material 'are brought into eircuit, substantially as set forth.

2. An electric soldcring-iron having a hollow point, in combination with a heating-re sistance inclosed thereby and in contact with the metal of the point, the point forming part of the circuit, substantially as set forth.

3. An electric solderingiron having a hollow point, in combination with a heating-re sistanee of finel ydivided material in el osed IOO i thereby and in contact with the metal: of said' point, the point and resistance being both in circut, substantiaily as 'set forth.

4. A" solderng-iron having a hollow head and point, in eombination with a heating-re- Sistance within the hollow pont and in contemet with the* metal of the same, the point and resistan ee being both in cireuit, and a non-heatcondueting material above such resistance, subo stantially as set frth.

5. In an electric soldering-iron, the eonbi- CHARLES T. HUGHES.

^ XVitnesses: I

RIOHD. N. DYER, EDWARD H. PYATT. 

